Dozens of families displaced from Artsakh may end up homeless

Panorama
Armenia – June 16 2022

Dozens of families, who were displaced from Artsakh during the 2020 war and took temporary refuge in Armenia, may become homeless. They have to leave the hotels, community and other buildings in different parts of Armenia where they live temporarily.

Presumably, those are the people who have been unable to live with their relatives or cannot afford to rent a house, thus the deprivation of shelter would cause serious social problems for them.

Deputy Head of the Operational Headquarters of Artsakh in Armenia Sasun Savadyan told Panorama.am that the idea of expelling the Artsakh people from these buildings originated earlier this year after it was decided to make the hotels and hostels serve their purpose.

As of June 1, there are 5,902 families or 20,016 people displaced from Artsakh living in Armenia.

"Most of them have rented houses or live with their relatives. There are Artsakh people living in hotels, state and community buildings who are now forced to leave them, waiting for the children to finish classes. I can't provide an exact figure, but there are not many of them, some 100-150 families," he said.

Savadyan said in the near future a decision will be made in Artsakh to provide each displaced family with 40,000 drams from July 1 for renting and other social problems. According to the official, it's possible to rent a house for 40,000 drams, for example, in the villages near Masis.

"For example, I am a displaced person too. I rent a house from the very beginning. I work. These people may say they don't work, but they may actually have a job. If five thousand families can rent an apartment or live with relatives, they can do it too, using the 40,000 drams in financial aid. In Azatashen and Khachpar villages, which are just 5-7 kilometers away from Yerevan, you can rent a house for 30,000 drams. Artsakh people have rented houses there and have been living there for over a year now,” Savadyan said.

He says no inventory of the needs for Artsakh people living in hotels and community buildings has been conducted.

"This deadline has been postponed since the beginning of the year. Now I can't give a deadline when they have to vacate the buildings," Savadyan added.